Kind of Like Love
by confessions.of.katijane
Summary: Angelina's annoyed by Lee's relentless pursuit, Alicia's confused by the sudden and frequent appearances of Oliver Wood in her life, and Katie's got double trouble in the form of the Weasley twins. Loves & losses of Gryffindor's 3 favorite chasers.
1. Introducing Ange

My name is Angelina Johnson and I have the world's worst luck. Don't believe me? Fine. I'll just let you take a look at my track record. First thing to know about me is that I love quidditch. I breathe quidditch. I really do. No small surprise everyone figured me for captain this year. But who gets the job now that dear Oliver is gone? No one. NO ONE. You know why? Because there's a stupid TriWizard Tournament replacing it this year, and I am not the Hogwarts champion. So they took away quidditch, and I'm not the champion because super smarmy Cedric Diggory took the spot. Along with darling Potter. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

Second, my love life is horrid. I've gotten broken up with by Roger Davies, Cedric Diggory, and Oliver Wood. I date quidditch captains and they all dump me, even though I give them my all. Well, excepting Flint, seeing as how he's a goober. Anyway, so last year, I turned away from quidditch captains and went the more conventional route of trying my hand with the regular players. Beaters, to be more specific. Wood broke up with me the night we won the quidditch cup (no one said the boy had timing), and that night I fell madly in like with Fred Weasley. He was charming, funny, and handsome to be sure, but he was also my very good friend and I'm almost positive he never thought anything more of me _than _as a good friend. It's really horrid. We spent the night dancing away and acting wildly, but early in the morning when I snuck down to see if I could find a way to get into his dorm room, I found his arms wrapped around none other than my best friend, Katie Bell. Disappointed and muttering that I probably should have figured that he'd have fallen for the most mischievous little flirt in the castle I stalked off to bed.

The next morning I turned my sights to George. Dear, sweet George, so much more moderate than his fiery twin, but still enough of a prankster with decent quidditch muscles to fit my fancy. He was my next choice. So I spent the day with him, talking and laughing, and that night I sneaked downstairs with the same goal in mind as last night and found him very much in the same way Fred was the night before. With Katie.

Thoroughly confused and angry I stalked back up to my bedroom. But that was only the beginning of my woes. I also have the misfortune to attract the most annoying and dimwitted bloke in the castle: Lee Andrew Jordan. The boy with three first names.

Lee's been hitting on me since we were first years and needless to say, it's never paid off. Not that I _mind_ the boy or anything, I mean after all, he is part of our group of friends. But he drives me nutters with his stupid pick up lines and endless fancying of myself. What to do? I don't know. Ignore him, flatten his ego, everything else I've tried without it paying off. I've survived the last five years of my existence through patience amidst conflict.

So why the heightened annoyance? Perhaps I should explain. My father is an auror on special assignment from his head of department and consequently, we travel everywhere. I haven't lived in the same spot for over two years. It doesn't really irk me at all, though, because no matter where in Britain we happen to be, I'm still at Hogwarts and still with my friends. However, this past summer we had the very great misfortune to move to Brighton in the very same neighborhood as said annoying pest. Very bad.

And what's worse? I think I'm actually starting to _tolerate_ the wanker. It's really no fun hating someone when you enjoy their company. Makes it very difficult. We spent almost every day together doing _something_ or the other, and he's even been in my bed. No funny business, just watching old muggle movies that Mum's hooked on.

And now I am at school, trying desperately hard to relinquish myself of the increased acquaintance amidst hints of love from my two very stupid roommates, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell. However, I suppose if I in fact _do _start to have feelings for him, Katie will take them away very quickly by making a midnight appearance in the common room snogging him senseless. Maybe I should try to convince myself to like the boy. Haha.

But no. That would mean my feelings would get crushed, and tt's too weird, and too gross to think of me being distraught over _him_. Now that I have other men vying for my attention, Lee Andrew Jordan with three first names is definitely at the _bottom _of my list. In fact, he's not on my list at all. So there.


	2. Enter Alicia

The only word I can think of to describe myself is uninteresting. Oh, I mean sure, I suppose by myself I can be pretty entertaining but if you're comparing my to my two best friends I slowly sink into insignificance. But before you feel too sorry for Alicia Anne Spinnet, you should realize that I like it this way. I've never been one to vie for anyone's attention and I'd rather sit back and watch Angelina and Katie duke it out for the reward.

I think that's the reason I go unnoticed so often. That, and the fact that with the three of us I am constantly the balance between the other two. Ange is tall, Katie is short. I'm 5'5'. Angelina's hair is long and Katie's is short. Mine is more of what you'd call midlength. Angelina is the oldest, Katie is the youngest, and my birthday is in the boring middle month of January when no one remembers.

There are really only two things that stand out about me: my hair and my love life. I have really amazingly blonde hair that's the envy of every girl in the castle, or so I've heard. It's sort of the first thing you notice about a girl like me. And my love life is very different from either of my friends: Angelina has several steady, dedicated relationships and Katie has a new boyfriend every week and they last for an even shorter amount of time. I can safely say that I've never had a boyfriend in my life. I think it's part of that whole me not being noticed a lot thing.

So last week in Hogsmeade when Katie and the twins set off for Zonko's and I was stuck with a bickering Ange and Lee, and I suddenly ran into (quite literally) Oliver Wood, it won't come as a shock to you that it came as a shock to me that I was suddenly being embraced very energetically by the very good looking and very good smelling ex-captain of the quidditch team.

"Alicia, hey! I haven't seen you in at least a year? Weren't you at the quidditch world cup?"

"Yes, Oliver, and I saw you there. Remember? I was with Angelina and Katie."

He paused and looked up in thought. "Oh that's right! You were. Well, why don't you go put on a jacket or something? It's not summer anymore, you know."

And with just a nod at Angelina and Lee who both looked very eager to greet their old friend, he set off again with a couple of blokes I didn't recognize in his wake. I stared after him, mouth open, surprised by several things: the use of my first name, primarily, and his definite preference of me over my other two friends. That could be that I'd actually nearly bowled the guy over, but you never knew. I found it very hard to concentrate on anything else that trip, and it's still left me thinking of it all the next week.


	3. Cut in, Katie

First things first. No matter what my friends or anyone else chooses to tell you, I am _not _the Hogwarts Whore. In fact, that would be Jessica Simmons, of Slytherin. But no matter about her. I'm here to talk about me.

Now, to explain this whole situation about why I _do _get mistakenly confused as being a strumpet, tart, and player, among other words is this: I'm finicky. I find out a guy isn't for me and I dump him. So what? I only ever snog them. Contrary to popular belief, I _am _a virgin, and I do have morals and all that good stuff. I always dump a guy before I go out with the next one. I've never cheated on anyone and I never plan to.

Besides, I wasn't _always_ like this. This, meaning the new awful situation I've gotten myself into. Before, everyone laughed at me good naturedly about how I could never make up my mind and how I was a heart breaker and yadda yadda yadda. Now they really _dislike _me, and I think my friends are a little wary of this new situation as well. See, here's the thing…I sort of like both of the Weasley twins.

Fred and George, George and Fred. I've been mates with both of them since the time I was small. Their mother has a troop of boys, my mother has a troop of girls. It was sort of destiny that they'd be friends at school and raise their children in the same general area of the United Kingdom. And I guess it was sort of destiny that one of them would fall in love with the other. What I hadn't planned on was that it would be me doing the falling and that two, not one, would be the—er—'fall-ee's, if you will.

It all started two summers ago. The summer I spent most of my time at the Weasley's and less and less at my own home. I saw and appreciated, and even admired the differences in each. I played quidditch with Fred and splashed around in the lake with George. And I stargazed with each of them separately. It wasn't my fault, and it _definitely _wasn't my fault that they both happened to share the same feeling feelings toward me. It's a very sad business.

I haven't snogged either of them, just so you know. I just spend a great deal of time with each. Up late, in the common room, doing whatever. They both like to hold me, and I like to let them. I don't know if they know the similarities of their respective situations or not. I just know that sometimes when we're all sitting together on the train and Fred has his hand on my knee, George looks disgusted, and when we're playing exploding snap and George is invariably my partner and has his hand on my waist, Fred looks disgusted. And all our friends give me curious looks, but nothing beyond that.

No one ever asks, that's probably another reason they all think I'm so wicked. They don't know that I'm not _that _promiscuous or unfeeling, or…so bloody confused I'm going out of my mind!!

Okay, I'm done. I'm not a strumpet, I swear it. I swear, I swear, I swear, I swear.

I'm just a girl who's so bloody confused she can't put her shoes on the right feet.


	4. Maybe not SUCH great enemies, after all

"Katie, your shoes are on the wrong feet," George said, pointing down at the black chucks that were sticking out at funny angles from underneath the hem of Katie's jeans.

"Wank, you're right," Katie said, reaching down to untie her shoes. Fred looked very upset that he hadn't thought to say this first and when Katie straightened back up to an upright position, he placed his hand on her knee. George's eyes narrowed and he looked away. Katie just smiled. _I have to remember to ask her about this._

We were currently sitting in the carriage that conveyed us to and from Hogsmeade on our way to spend another lazy Saturday wandering around and, if you were the Weasleys, terrorizing the village. Katie was sitting in between them, predictably, and I was in between Lee and Alicia. Lee was trying very unsuccessfully to place his arm around my shoulders and I kept swatting it back. Alicia was just staring off into space and picking at a thumbnail.

"Lee, stop it," I said, yet again swatting away his hand.

He just tried again.

"Stop it."

Again.

"Lee Jordan, bugger off!"

"I think she wants you to stop, mate," Fred said calmly as Lee rubbed his now red hand.

"Although I don't understand, Ange," said George, joining in. "We thought you and Lee were tight. Spending every day together during the summer as I understand it. Isn't that right, Lee?"

"It is, indeed," he said, smiling in an obnoxiously self-satisfied way. _Wanker. He actually looked sort of cute when he did that. Nonetheless, Lee Jordan is an annoying git._

"I didn't have any better company," I grumbled, looking away. "I do now. So get over yourself."

"Ouch!" Katie cried. "Harsh words from Ange score Lee a negative five on the scale of love."

"Okay," Lee said, good-naturedly. "Why don't you give me lessons? You seem to be doing mighty well yourself."

Katie blushed and Fred immediately removed his hand from her knee. All three of them took the opportunity to look in some obscure part of the carriage and pretend they hadn't heard. I laughed and gave Lee a high five, automatically rubbing my hand on my jeans afterward.

George took the opportunity of changing the subject. "All right, Alicia. What are you thinking about so quietly over there in the corner?"

Alicia snapped out of whatever daze she was in and calmly answered, "Nothing. Not a bit."

"Hoping to see dear Ollie again, are we?" Katie laughed.

Alicia scowled and was about to say something when Fred burst in.

"What? We've run into the dear old Nazi? Do tell us—how is the lad doing these days?"

"He didn't say much," Alicia said, shrugging and returning to her fingernail business.

"He said more to you than he did to either of us though," I put in, smiling.

Alicia, who had never been comfortable with large amounts of attention on her, still persisted in saying that nothing out of the ordinary had taken place between Wood and herself, and that she hadn't given it another thought since last week when she'd run into him.

"Sure, 'Leesh," Katie said, yawning and moving decidedly closer to George. "Although, I suppose it's a good thing. You're never going to attract a bloke by knocking him into a snow bank."

"I did not!" Alicia protested stubbornly and began wrapping her blonde hair around one of her fingers.

The conversation dropped as we arrived in Hogsmeade and all piled out of the carriage. Katie and the twins immediately got tangled up into a snowball fight, both of them chasing her, yelling loudly enough to attract the stares and glares of the town's residents.

"Race you to the Shrieking Shack!" Katie yelled to Fred and took off. Fred was immediately on her heels, leaving George to scramble after them and yell, "Not without me!"

The three of us stared after them. "She's going to get in trouble if she's not careful," Lee remarked carelessly as Alicia and I nodded. He placed an arm around my waist and began steering me along toward the sidewalk. Alicia tagged along behind and I pushed Lee into a building.

"Keep your ruddy hands off me, Jordan," I said testily, cramming my hands into my pockets.

"Come on, Johnson," Lee whined. "Why won't you go out with me?"

"Come on," I said, rolling my eyes. "You're not even a quidditch player."

"So?" he said. "I like quidditch, isn't that good enough? And it's not exactly like you've had the best of luck with any of them."

I glared at him. "Bugger off," I said, looping my arm through Alicia's and heading off.

"You're not just going to leave me here, are you?" he yelled after us.

"Yes, I am," I shouted back. "I could kill that wanker some days," I remarked to Alicia.

Alicia just hummed.

"What?" I asked angrily.

"Nothing," she said. "Just that it's clear to the rest of us that you're mad about him."

"No," I said slowly. "I'm mad _at_ him. Big difference."

She shrugged. "Whatever."

I swear, some days I hate Alicia and her collected self. Why can't she ever argue with me for extended periods of time? No one else did either and it infuriated me. Neither did any of my ex-boyfriends. In fact, Lee was the only one who ever—NO. Bad Angelina. Will not point out things I like about Lee. I _hate _him. Must not let him think anything coming from me is encouragement.

"Let's go in the quidditch shop," I said, quickly ducking into the store to avoid being seen by said object of hatred.

Alicia sighed and followed me in. "I don't see why we can't go and watch a play or something. I heard Hogsmeade was putting on _A Wizard's Carol_."

"Because that's incredibly dull, Spinnet. Trust me, I've already seen it."

We both looked up to find Oliver Wood smiling down at us from his loft height of 6'4".

"Hey, Wood," I said easily, discreetly nudging my friend forward.

"Hi, Johnson," he said quickly and looked down at Alicia. "How are you, Alicia?"

"I—I'm—Well, I guess I'm fine…" she stammered. "What brings you here?" I smiled and backed off. This was going to be perfect.

Well, it _was _going to be perfect until stupid Lee Jordan wandered into the shop and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Woody! How the heck are ya?"

Oliver immediately turned away from Alicia and pumped Lee's hand and they both began chatting excitedly about Puddlemore and what Oliver's chances for starting next year were. Stupid boy. I rolled my eyes and yanked on his arm.

"I want to talk to you," I said, pulling him away from Oliver. "It's important."

Lee immediately retreated and followed me to another shelf where I could get a full view of Alicia and Oliver.

"What?" he asked excitedly. "I knew I'd find you in here, Johnson. Does it kill you how well I know you? What do you have to say to me?"

His grin was almost pathetically endearing.

"You idiot," I said, rolling my eyes and yanking him down. "Don't you see what's happening?"

"Umm…no."

I jerked my head toward the couple. "Alicia and Oliver!" I said impatiently.

"So?"

"So! Isn't it clear that they like each other? You were interrupting them!"

"And what were you doing?"

"Shut up, Jordan, and let's just see what happens alright?"

"As long as I'm here with you."

"Tosser," I said, shoving a random sports bag over his head.

"Hey!" he shouted, struggling to get it off and in the process knocking both of us over into a display of designer quaffles, all of which began to fly through the aisle.

"Moron!" I yelled, getting back up and brushing back my hair to peer through the shelves again. Alicia and Oliver were leaving the store together, along with what looked like two or three of Oliver's friends who had happened to wander into the store.

"No!" I moaned. "You made me miss what happened! And now she's left me with just you!"

Lee pulled the bag off of his head finally and grinned at me. "Tough luck, kid," he said, smiling. "What do you want to do today?"

"Well you won't be spending it here!" squeaked a tiny little wizard who was unsuccessfully jumping up and down to catch the fly away quaffles. "You've destroyed my store!"

"Hey now, mate," Lee said easily, "I wouldn't say that. It's just one display. Would you like some help?" And he easily reached the quaffle the little wizard had been jumping after.

"No!" he squeaked again. "At least not from you! Now get out! Both of you!"

"Ease off, you," Lee said, offended. "I was just trying to give you a hand. It's not my fault you're bitty."

I suppressed a series of giggles as the enraged little man grabbed a broom from off the wall and started chasing Lee down the aisle and whacking him with it. My friend was being beaten up by a 3 foot wizard. Now this was entertainment.

Moments later, both of us ran, laughing out of the quidditch supply store.

"That was ruddy _awesome_!" I said, laughing. "You got _owned!_"

"It wasn't funny," Lee said darkly. "I think I may have bruises."

"Oh poor baby," I laughed. "Did the tiny man hurt you?"

"Shut up, Ange," he said angrily. "I probably have welts now. You could've helped me, you know, instead of sitting there laughing at me."

"Well," I put in pleasantly, "You _did_ deserve it for ruining my afternoon."

"I ruined it? Excuse me, but as far as I know, I'm the only one of your friends who hasn't deserted you today."

I frowned. Stupid boy. Why did he say stupid things like that?

"Here," I said, sitting down on a bench and motioning for Lee to sit down. When he sat, I rolled up a leg of his jeans and inspected the damage. "Let's see what we can do."

"I didn't know you knew stuff about healing," he said, looking rather impressed. In all honesty, I hadn't a clue, but I like my ego being flattered every now and then.

"Oh," I said easily, "I know a couple things here and there. Mostly from quidditch."

I proceeded to bandage up the welts the wizard had actually managed to leave and wiped my hands off. "There," I said. "Much better."

He smiled at me and for a moment I have to confess I smiled back. But then I recollected myself and immediately stood up and looked around.

"Well, Mr. Jordan," I said. "Our friends will have missed out on today, because I'm feeling that a sledding trip is an excellent idea for a day like today."

"Very excellent, Miss Johnson," Lee agreed. "I'll race you."

I rolled my eyes. "Who do you think I am, Katie?"

"No…but I think you like competition. Especially with your greatest enemy."

"Well…" I said slowly. "Maybe we're not _such _great enemies after all. Seeing as how you haven't deserted me and all."

"Yeah," he said. "But that still doesn't mean we can't have a bit of fun."

I allowed myself to grin. "Oh, sod it. You're on."

And we both took off through the streets toward the large hill on the outskirts of the tiny village.


	5. Four Blokes & a Butterbeer

I silently cursed at Angelina as she drug Lee into the next aisle, leaving me all by myself with Oliver Wood. I mean, it's not like I exactly _mind_, the boy is nothing if not gorgeous, but at the same time, I am nothing if not an _idiot_ alone with a bloke. Thankfully, I was spared the trouble of making small talk as a bunch of what looked like Oliver's mates walked into the store.

"Oy, Wood!" one of them called cheerily. "We thought we'd lost you!"

"Over here, Alex!" Wood said, waving his hand.

As the boys approached, I was prepared to disappear in the background but Oliver promptly introduced me.

"Alicia," he said, "This is Alex, James, and Brett. They're on the reserve team with me for Puddlemore. Lads, this is Alicia Spinnet. She was on my team at Hogwarts."

"Er—hi," I said awkwardly.

Brett promptly grabbed my hand and pumped it up and down. Okay, so Oliver's mates seemed like a cheery lot.

"Why didn't you tell us you practiced with such pretty birds?" James asked, shaking my hand. I colored and Oliver just laughed.

Alex smiled at me and then turned to Oliver. "So are we going to get those butterbeers or what, Wood?" he asked.

"Right," said Oliver. "You wouldn't want to join us, would you, Spinnet?"

I turned around and observed Lee and Angelina. They were currently on top of each other and yelling as a bunch of quaffles swirled around the room.

"Yes, I'm in," I said quickly. "If that's alright, of course."

"Course it is," James said, offering me his arm. I smiled and took it. I seemed to fare a lot better on my own when Ange and Kate weren't around. I couldn't say I wasn't enjoying this, or Oliver's slightly surprised and—could it be?—jealous look as we trooped out of the quidditch supply store.

At the Three Broomsticks I sat in between Oliver and Alex. As we sipped our butterbeers, Alex kicked he legs out and said, "So, Alicia, was Wood as obsessed in school as he is now? Dawn practices and all?"

I laughed as Oliver yelled out in protest. I grinned at him and said, "I'm afraid to tell you he was indeed, Alex. Probably worse. Did you know he burst into woman's medi-witch appointment to demand I come to practice?"

"No!" yelled Brett, putting his hand over his face and laughing.

"Didn't know you were _that_ bad, Woody," James said, grinning.

"Oh, he is," I said, thoroughly enjoying myself and Oliver's deepening shade of red and growing protests. "He even snuck into the Slytherins' locker room to 'spy' while they were changing. Quite pervy, really."

"Hey now!" Oliver said, grabbing me and placing a hand over my mouth. "Don't listen to her. I didn't tell you, her family's French, she doesn't speak English well."

"Sod off, Ollie," I said, pushing him away. "I speak English just fine. You're a little mixed up. Admit it."

He shrugged. "I just like quidditch," he said simply. We all nodded and laughed. When my bill came I reached out to grab it and suddenly Oliver's hand was on top of mine. I blushed hard and it grew even worse as he didn't move.

"Lemme get it, Alicia," he said. "To make up for all the horrible stuff I did to you at Hogwarts."

I was not one to complain about not having to spend money.

"Sure thing," I said, immediately withdrawing my hand and trying to ignore the scintillating pleasure that was coursing through my body. "Why are you lot here anyway?"

"Get free weekends," Brett said. "We're only on the reserve team, which means we don't practice on Saturdays. So, when there's nothing else to do, we come here."

"So I could be expecting to see a lot of you then?" I asked, trying my best to appear casually unconcerned.

"You can bet on that," James said, winking.

Oliver just shrugged. "I dunno, we'll see, Spinnet. We better be heading back. See you around, maybe."

And all four of them left me sitting on a barstool, thoroughly confused. I considered it for a moment and then sighed and shrugged. More of my famous luck that Angie claims is hers. Was I really stupid enough to believe that mediocre Alicia could have captured the fancy of the former sex god of Hogwarts? No. Putting that out of my mind.

And so I sighed, wound my scarf around my neck and slipped on both of my gloves as I trudged out into the snow once more. Must try to go find Katie and the twins before she ends up snogging one or both of them and getting our friendship circle into a _real _mess.


	6. Double Trouble

It was at that moment that I resigned myself to the life of a verbally incontinent lunatic doomed to spend the rest of her life in a state of immensely lonely singularity. I realize that that might look a bit odd to an outsider, observing a small brunette in baggy clothes flirting her oversized head off with two equally gorgeous twin blokes, but that's the way it was. Because, my friends, a state of indecision never leads to anything good.

"AAAGH!" I yelled, jumping about a foot in the air as Fred grabbed me from behind as George and I were staring at the Shrieking Shack.

"You know," George observed, "I've often wondered if the Shrieking Shack's really haunted at all, or if it was just some bloke taking his girl up there for a good shag."

"They must have done it quite often then," I said, rolling my eyes and slightly smirking at George's comment.

"Course, love," George said easily. "If she looked anything like you it would have been all too easy."

I hucked a snowball at George, easily plastering his face as Fred drawled, "And the bloke must have looked a right better sight than you, mate, to seduce someone even half as good looking as Kate here to sneak all the way into _that _drafty house to shag _you_."

"Can we stop discussing shagging?" I asked loudly. "The thought of you two having sexual urges is enough to make me burst into hysterics just long enough to dash every chance at friendship I've ever had."

This pronouncement was met by loud protests and angry shouts. I just laughed and strode over to the fence where I leaned against the post and stared at the decaying house in the distance. Fred quickly joined me and George, once noticing where his twin was, immediately dropped the snowball he was holding and stood by my other side. I smiled a little to myself and then shook my head. _Bad Katie. Should not be enjoying this._

"Well, well, well," said a voice behind us. "Katie Bell. May I share your good fortune?"

The three of us turned around to find a tall brunette standing at the top of a nearby hill, looking down at us. _Ah._ Tiffany Westhouse. Ravenclaw. Monster crush on George, though I'm guessing she'd settle for Fred if fortune willed it that way. Oh, and legs up to my eyeballs. I'm not too fond of her, by the way. George put up with her though, because she was good looking and what bloke isn't going to respond to a good looking girl ogling him? Needless to say, I was not happy about this little encounter and edged closer to George, putting my arm through his elbow.

"Hi, Tiffany," I said, coldly. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh," she said, flicking her hair and waltzing down the hill. "Just fancied a bit of a chat with George is all. Do you mind? You'll have Fred to keep you busy, I'm sure."

The twins stared at her, obviously amused and then back at me to see how I'd react.

"Oh, you know," I said, imitating her voice and moving my hips as I walked toward her. "I guess I'm not as much of a selfish tart to deny you the privilege of subjecting you to the humiliation of trying to impress my—"

Here I tried to flick my hair like she had, but ended up putting a crick in my neck.

"Ow!" I shouted. "Ow!" I grasped my neck and started hopping on one foot (still am not sure what I thought that this would do to alleviate the pain, but continued as such) and slipped on a patch of ice, causing me to slam into Fred and both of us to go rolling down the hill straight toward the Shrieking Shack as Tiffany smiled sweetly down at the both of us and George looked torn.

"Merlin," I groaned when I finally stopped, having rolled into a dead bush. "Talk about pure idiocy."

"S'alright," Fred replied from a briar patch. "Sudden hair flick, very dangerous."

I laughed. He looked ridiculous, tangled in the dead patch of weeds, with bits of stick and twig in his messy red hair. I reached over and pulled them out.

He grinned. "You've got some of your own that you might consider removing, Bell," he said. "Not that I don't love that look, but you might consider…"

"Alright, shut up," I said, scraping the filth out of my hair from underneath the knit beanie.

He smirked at me and got up, without moving over to help me as I scrambled up by myself. _Some love interest._

"You could always _not_ be an arse every now and then and help me up," I muttered bitterly, brushing the snow off my clothing.

"But then you'd shout at me," he pointed out. "You always shout at me whenever I try to do something remotely helpful."

"But you always choose the wrong things to be helpful at," I argued. "Like opening doors. I can do it myself. What you should really consider doing is my homework."

"So what you're saying is that you want me to help you with things that you can't do by yourself?"

I considered this. "I suppose so."

"Well, you just got up by yourself. So I wasn't obliged to do anything."

I laughed and pushed him playfully before turning my attention back up to the top of the hill. I strained my eyes, trying to observe George and Tiffany, if she was still there.

"I think we ought to go back," I said. "Save George from Tiff, you know." _Good cover up, Bell._

"Well aren't you the angel of mercy?" Fred laughed. "Nah, Kate, let's stay here. Explore, you know. George is a grown bloke. He can take care of himself. What I'd very much like to do right now is go into this little Shrieking Shack, see if I can make you scream any more, while discussing how it is that you manage to look so beautiful covered in snow and weeds."

I was caught off guard and turned to Fred, half expecting him to be standing there with his usual cheeky grin on his face, but he wasn't. He was just smiling, no way in particular, and offering me his hand. Without thinking much, I took it and he drew me in closely and smiled down at me, while tucking a stray bit of hair behind my ear. I closed my eyes and was about to make a very large and impacting decision when I heard a giggle of delight floating down from the top of the hill. The spell was broken.

"George," I said. "He—he needs our help." And very quickly, I let go of Fred's hand and started jaunting up the hill. Fred's face fell for a moment and he just stood there for a moment before climbing up after me. I felt a twinge of guilt, but not too much as just about anything could be going on up there.

When we reached the top, we found not George and Tiffany, but George and Alicia.

"Al?" I asked.

"Katie, George was just telling me what happened to you when you were trying to imitate Tiffany Westhouse." _That explains the giggle. Stupid, stupid Katie._

"Where is Tiffany Westhouse, by the way?" I asked, looking around as though expecting her to pop out behind a tree.

"Her boyfriend actually came along and collected her," George replied, amused. "Didn't seem too happy to see me alone with her."

"You didn't seem too happy to have her go," I said, hinting.

He rolled his eyes. "Ah, Kate," he said. "You've got a lot to learn if you think I'd rather spend time alone with Tiffany Westhouse than with you."

I grinned as he took my arm and started walking back toward the castle. Fred furrowed his brow for a moment as if considering something and then jogged to catch up with us, linking my other arm with his.

"Oh joy, a parade," I said, smiling. Actually, I couldn't say I minded.

We walked on for a few minutes before Fred stopped and let go of my arm. I looked back, confused, only to find him placing his coat around the arms of a shivering Alicia and keeping back to walk with her.

That's it. I was an idiot. Way to go, Katie, walk along and flirt with two blokes at once while your best friend is freezing to death in your wake. Really great, Katie, just absolutely superb.

So if the aforementioned reason for eternal spinsterhood is not sufficient, let me now add that being an unfeeling arse is enough to drive any sensible man away. Oh, well, except George of course. He's still being lovely and chatting away, so at least I've managed to keep one of them. That's good news. Right?


	7. You're An Embarrassment, Lee Jordan

**A/N: The reason I kind of put this one on the backburner is that it's meant to be a Christmas story, but I realized that with the way I update, if I start now there's a chance that it MIGHT be finished by Christmas. Enjoy.**

"Okay, Johnson," Lee said, huffing as he climbed back to the top of the hill. "Your turn to try the jump."

Lee had built a jump out of the snow at the base of the hill and had gone off of it about fifteen times already and had yet to succeed in either staying on the sled or getting me to try it.

"Sorry, Jordan," I replied, not sorry at all. "I'm one of those really weird people that likes to learn from other's experiences and even more strangely, when those experiences result in that person getting injured, I don't like to try them."

"Oh come on," he pushed, "I'm not injured. And where's the spirit of adventure in you? Have you gone _soft_, Johnson? Don't tell me a lowly quidditch commentator is going to one up Gryffindor's best chaser!"

He said it sarcastically, but he knew it would get to me. And it did. I grabbed the sled from him, swearing under my breath and positioning myself so that I would hit the wretched jump.

"Need a push?" Lee asked slyly.

"No!" I practically shouted. "I'm just trying to figure out what would be the best way of doing this. So shove off."

"Shove you off? Alright, then."

"Lee, no!" But it was too late. He rand up behind me and shoved me down the hill. I screamed all the way down as the sled hurtled at breakneck speed toward the jump. In one fluid, motion the sled, along with me on top of it, flew over the mound of snow, five feet above the ground, and landed, still sliding through the untouched snow that Lee hadn't managed to reach. The sled finally slowed down and then slid to a stop. It took me a few seconds to collect my thoughts before I stood up, a little dazed, and turned around to gloat at Lee who was standing at the top of the hill, mouth open.

"OH!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, laughing out in victory. "OH! Who got OWNED?? Could it possible have been Lee Andrew Jordan?? Did Master Jordan get beat by a _girl_!? I think he did! How could that have happened?? I mean, it was only my first try and you'd gone down at least what—twenty times?"

"Shut up, Ange," he muttered, obviously put off.

I laughed loudly. "What?" I crowed. "Can't you take a little friendly competition??"

"I said, shut up!" I ain't shutting up until you make me, Jordan, and I'd like to see you _try_."

"You asked for it, Johnson," he scowled.

Faster than I've ever seen him move, Lee grabbed the other sled, jumped on it and hurtled down toward me. I tried to dive out of the way but he somehow managed to steer the sled toward me and in a matter of seconds we were a heap of sleds, coats, scarves, and…well…us.

"Jordan!" I yelled angrily, shoving him. "What the _hell_ were you thinking??"

"You said to make you shut up," he groaned. "And you're still talking."

"It's lucky that I am after that stunt, you moron!"

"Yes, I thank my lucky stars," Lee said, rolling his eyes. "Now will you please get off of me, Johnson?"

I laughed in his face. "What, Jordan?" I asked, scoffing. "I thought this would have been your fondest dream?"

"Yeah, well…you weigh more than I thought you did!"

I gasped. What kind of nerve did _Lee_ have?? Talking to me like I wasn't poised for the next quidditch captain of Gryffindor??

"You arse," I spit out. "I'm laying here until I suffocate you. You _never_ speak to me that way!"

"Angelinaaaaa," wailed Lee. "Get off of me!"

"Well, well, well," said a voice I knew all too well. "I never thought I'd see the day where Lee would be begging Ange to get up off of him. Can't even leave you two alone for a couple hours without having you try to shag each other."

"Maybe we ought to leave them alone for a couple more hours, Fred. Then perhaps they'll get it over with and we won't have to put up with this constant bickering for the rest of our natural lives."

"Excellent idea, twin. Right, well we'll be going now."

"No!" I shouted at the twins. "That is _so_ the last thing I would ever want to do with _him._ He ran into me with his stupid oversized sled, thinking he could best me with his stupid oversized_ head_."

"Ouch, Ange," said Katie, who also managed to show up. "That's harsher than usual."

"It's nothing he doesn't deserve," I said angrily, clutching my hat and pulling it back straight onto my head.

"Are you alright, Lee?" asked Alicia as she too emerged from the snow.

"I'm fine," he mumbled quietly, picking himself up and brushing snow off of himself. "I don't know why I expected things would turn out differently _this_ time I tried to have a fun day with Ange."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked indignantly.

Katie coughed and rolled her eyes.

"What??" I asked. "Now you're against me too? Well that's just_ great_."

"Oh come on, Ange, would you give it a rest?" she groaned, annoyed. "Why can't you just admit you and Lee had fun together? Why does it have to be a sexual thing?"

"You're one to talk," I replied nastily, stalking off to the carriages.

"Excuse me??"

"Oh Merlin, Johnson, back off," Lee snarled, running to catch up with me. "Leave her alone. If you're going to be bent at someone, just direct it at me. It's worked well over the years."

"Why does everything always have to be about _you_?" I asked angrily. "You, you, you! You've been relentlessly pursuing me for years and you _still_ haven't gotten it through your thick head that I'm _not_ interested! You don't even bother to think about _my_ feelings. Can't you think for three seconds how embarrassing it is for me, a top quidditch player, to be associated with you?? We're _not_ meant to be!!"

It was silent, except for an "Uh-oh" intoned by Fred from the back of the group as we trudged along in silence.

"Fine," Lee said finally, quietly. "Fine. I'll be out of your hair from now on, Johnson. I don't want to _embarrass _you any further."

And he fell to the back of the group next to Alicia, who gave him a very sympathetic look and an arm around the shoulder.

"Good," I said firmly, falsely. And I stuck my nose in the air and continued to lead the way back and into an empty carriage. I brushed snow off of my designer coat and sat primly in the corner. No one sat by me. Instead, they cast glances at me and at each other. I huffed and stared out the window, not saying anything for the rest of the ride. No one else said much either, unless you counted George trying to cheer up Lee by recounting a ridiculous story about Katie falling down a hill, or some such nonsense.

XXX

"Okay, Ange, what the _hell_ was that??" Katie asked as soon as we were back in the safety of our own dorm room.

I sighed and shut the door, turning around and sliding down it with a puff of air directed upward slightly moving one of the many braids in my hair. I saw Alicia stare at me fearfully, as though bracing herself for another lash-out.

"Let's play a game," I said more to my knees than either of my friends. "It's called 'Let's forget about embarrassing things Ange says to Lee Jordan'. Sound good?"

"Embarrassing things forgotten," Katie said quickly. "Now let's play 'Let's talk about cruel things Ange says to Lee Jordan'. Sound good?"

"No," I groaned, getting up only to collapse on my bed. "I'm awful," I said into my pillow.

"AJ, what _happened_??" Alicia asked, apparently trying to be gentle.

"I don't know, Alicia, I just sort of…_snapped_."

"To put it lightly."

I sighed. "I don't know what came over me," I said honestly. "I just go _so tired_ of people giving me crap about liking him. Which I _don't_."

"You totally do," Katie said obnoxiously. I glared at her.

"You didn't really mean what you said about his being around you embarrassing you, did you?" Alicia asked. She was clearly trying to save the friendship.

"Of course not," I said, brushing it away with my hand. "We're friends. But there _was_ the element of truth in that he's maddeningly ridiculous! He's so obnoxious, you guys, come on. Admit it."

They both looked at me blankly. "He doesn't bother me," Katie said.

"Because he doesn't hit on you!"

"Even if he did, he wouldn't be annoying. Ange, he's just messing around half the time."

"Well it bothers me!"

"Because you're in love with him and you don't know how to bloody deal with it because he's not a ruddy quidditch player! Honestly!"

"Katie, I swear, I--!"

"I have a question!" Alicia said suddenly, interrupting us. We both turned to stare at her. She never had outbursts.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, since it's fairly obvious that we're not going to resolve the 'Angelina loves Lee' conflict tonight, could we possibly discuss something else?"

"Like where you were with Oliver all day?" I asked slyly.

"What??" Katie yelled. "Al, you saw Ollie again??"

Alicia turned a violent shade of red. "That's not exactly the conversation topic I had in mind," she said.

"Well that's unfortunate, because that's next on the discussion board."


	8. D'you Think He Really Could?

**A/N: Wanted a break from writing heavy stuff, so I came back to this little fic. For those of you who mentioned earlier that Alicia was "boring", I'm sorry…it's just in her character right now to be a little reserved, especially with the two room mates she has! She will get more exciting as the story develops, though, I promise. Enjoy & please review! Cheers! K.J.**

I gave into my nervous habit of biting my thumb nail and slid into the corner where my bed met the wall.

"Actually," I said cautiously, "that Angelina and Lee debate is sounding more interesting by the second."

"It is _not_ interesting!" Ange yelled. "What's interesting is what happened with you and Oliver Wood, Miss I-Prefer-To-Be-Single-While-My-Friends-Make-Idiots-Of-Themselves! What went on in that bar?!"

"Argh!" Katie yelled and clutched her head. "I can't decide which I want to hear! Ange and Lee, or Alicia and Ollie?! Life is _so_ complicated sometimes!"

Ange and I just stared at her.

"Honey, let's not even _start_ with you," Angelina said, rolling her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" shouted Katie indignantly.

"You gallivanting off with _both_ of the Weasley twi—"

"_He doesn't fancy me!_" I shouted suddenly. "He doesn't fancy me and he probably never will! There. Happy now!?"

Both of them dropped their argument to stare at me in surprise. I huffed and folded my arms defensively. Who said quiet little Alicia Spinnet couldn't silence a crowd? I was a tough quidditch player, wasn't I? Wood had taught me well. _Merlin, must quit thinking about Wood_.

"Al, why would we be happy?" Ange cooed, instantly by my side. I appreciated her there, but honestly, sometimes the girl scared me. This was the same girl, after all, who had ruthlessly destroyed every shred of Lee Jordan's self esteem little over an hour ago. Luckily, Katie came to the rescue.

"Bollocks, 'Lic," she said in her characteristically blunt manner. "He wouldn't have brought you into a bar if he didn't fancy you at least enough to want a good shag."

"Oh, thanks, Katie, that _really _helped," Angelina scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Seriously though, Al, tell us what happened."

"_Please_."

I bit my lip, surveying the pair of them looking over at me with eager faces. It wasn't often that I had their undivided attention, and it honestly felt rather exciting. Indulging in this, I cast off my previous reservations and shared the entire story with my two best friends.

"And _then_, he was just like 'Yeah, maybe we'll see you, Spinnet. Bye.' As if that meant _anything_! I mean, why the bloody hell would he want to spend time with me just to ditch me in a bar later? Blokes are the worst!"

"Amen," said Ange fervently.

"Merlin, you're thick, Al," Katie said. When I raised my eyebrow at her, she continued. "I mean _really_, it's _pretty_ obvious he was just jealous of the attention you were getting from his mates! He was behaving that way because he didn't like the competition!"

"You'd know all about men not liking the other competition, wouldn't you, Kates?" Angelina asked saucily. Katie scowled and hit her with a pillow.

"Really, 'Lic, trust me. He's totally into you."

"You actually think so?" I tried to disguise the excitement in my voice, but I failed miserably. I liked this new light Katie was shedding onto the situation.

She nodded and Ange agreed. "Definitely, Al. Why's that so hard to believe?"

"I dunno," I said, shrugging uncomfortably. "Because it's me."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Well I'm just…you know…_average_."

"Allie, you are anything but average," Angelina said bracingly. "You have amazing grades."

"And amazing blonde hair!" Katie piped up.

"Amazing talent for quidditch."

"Amazing sense of fun when you choose to display it."

"Amazing ability to control yourself when you don't."

"And two amazing best friends who are going to help you snag the hottest bloke ever to have passed through Hogwarts!" Katie finished, squealing.

I could feel the color rise to my cheeks. "I dunno how I feel about this…" I said slowly.

"Nonsense," Ange said firmly. "Next Hogsmeade weekend, you'll be totally prepared. We'll train you."

"Train me?" I repeated thickly.

"Absolutely. Little of this, little of that. My amazing sense of fashion, Katie's ability to be a…er…"

"Strumpet," Katie finished for her, rolling her eyes.

"Exactly," Ange continued. "Once you know a thing or two, you're sure to be Oliver's for good!"

I grinned at the pair of them, but inside I was a little worried. I loved my best friends, but I didn't exactly want my love lives to end up like theirs. And if "snagging" Oliver meant not being myself, was that something that I wanted? Would Oliver want me if I _did_ behave like myself? Merlin, I needed self confidence more than anything. Was there any kind of course in that? Still, I figured Ange and Katie were the ones who knew about these kinds of things. After all, they _were_ the ones who had had boyfriends. Ange did always look stunning, and Katie certainly possessed the…_flare_…for the dramatic; a certain kind of magic all her own. Speaking of…

"By the way, Katie, what in the bloody _hell_ is going on with you and Fred-and-George?"

Ange's eyes lit up and Katie swallowed loudly.

"Er…"


	9. ER

"Er…er…"

"Er…er…"

"Katie Bell!" Angelina exploded, annoyed. "You talk incessantly every day and the one time that I actually _want _to hear what you have to say, you don't! I _know_ you have more words in your vocabulary than 'er'!"

I scowled at her and crossed my arms. "Fine," I said snootily. "I say nothing."

I pretended to zip my lips and stalked off into my own bed, pulling the curtains closed around me. As I knew that they would be sure to insult me after my speech, there was no sense in giving it if they were insulting me before it even began. Besides, admitting my situation to Angelina and Alicia verified its existence. Right now, it was still floating around in the atmosphere, stuck in a piece of existential funk. Or something to that effect.

I flopped down on the mattress just at the moment that my curtains opened and a grinning blonde head popped inside.

"_Kaaaaaaaaatie_!" Alicia sang, grinning shamelessly. "_I_ never said that I didn't like to hear you talk."

"And I didn't mean it," Angelina put in, popping her head through the crack in the curtains, above Alicia's. It was very clear that this admittance was, at best, insincere, but even getting Ange to that point meant a lot. I glared at the pair of them.

"Pleeeeease," Alicia pleaded, pretending to pout. I rolled my eyes.

"Let me change into my 'jams first," I ordered, rolling off the bed and onto the floor. I landed with a thump and rubbed my bottom. _That didn't go as smoothly as planned._

"Y_aaaay_!" they cheered, dashing off to get into their own nightwear. I army crawled to my dresser, for no particular reason, and pulled out pajamas. I then rolled across the floor to my bed again, complete with a gun formed out of my fingers, and disappeared beneath the curtains. When I was dressed, I sat cross-legged on my bed and used my wand to part my curtains for effect. I then resumed my position, complete with closed eyelids and upward facing palms.

"You may enter," I dictated, keeping my eyes closed.

"Katie, knock it off," Angelina said, tossing a pillow at me. It hit me in the back of my head and I opened my eyes, glaring at her.

"What was that for?" I cried.

"For the unnecessary dramatics, obviously," she replied, rolling her eyes and imitating my latest example of eccentric behavior. _Okay, so I'm a little quirky…was that really so awful?_ I scowled at her to show my disdain for her comment and pillow tossing.

"Oh, quit your pouting and out with it already," Alicia said in an uncharacteristically blunt way. I raised my eyebrows at her, and she shrunk beneath one of my pillows. "Well," she continued. "You _were_ pouting."

"I tell it my way, or I don't tell it at all," I repeated, eyeing the pair of them.

"Oh, fine," Ange said, clearly fed up with it by now. "Just go before we graduate."

"Thank you," I said serenely, returning to my previous position of the meditation stance.

"What information is it that you seek?" I hummed, attempting my best impression of Trelawney. I knew, even behind my closed lids, that Angelina and Alicia were exchanging glances that more or less said, _Why is she so bizarre_? To be honest, even I wasn't sure of the answer to that question. But it was rather fun.

It was Angelina who spoke first. "Oh, Goddess of the Mattress," she said ethereally, with a strong bite of sarcasm. "We wish to know why our best friend is behaving like the most shameful strumpet and winding up two of our best mates."

"Ah," I said, resisting the urge to kick her. "You must be referring to Angelina of the Braided Hair, and her exploits in destroying the self esteem of one Lee Jordan, and the virtues of Katie Bell."

I could hear her move to pummel me, but I quickly stuck up one of my legs, which blocked the blow and hit her in what felt like the jaw. Immediately, my eyes flew open and I could see Ange fly backward, clutching her face.

"Kathryn Bell!" she shouted angrily. "What was that for?!"

"Sorry!" I wailed, scrambling to my feet to help her up. "I didn't mean to, it was an accident!"

"Oh, _you're_ the accident. Godric. Could you cut it out and just tell us why the hell you're messing with the twins' minds?"

"I'm not," I pouted, knowing full well that I, in fact, _was._

"Come on, Katie," Alicia nudged. "You know there's something going on. Everyone does."

"Yeah," said Ange, climbing back onto my bed, still rubbing her jaw. "You haven't had a boyfriend in about a month. That's a record for you."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please," I said. "I've gone longer than that without a boyfriend."

"Yeah," she scoffed. "Like in first year."

I threw a pillow at her.

"Cut it out," Alicia complained. "Kates, are you snogging both of them, or what's going on? Because if you are, I think we deserve to know, we're their friends too, and—"

"Merlin, no!" I shouted. "Good Godric, Alicia, how much of a slut d'you take me for?"

"Well…"

"What?!" I cried incredulously. "That's it! No more talking! No more mini-Katie-crisis time!"

I moved to escape the bed, but Angelina caught me around the waist and pulled me down, hard, onto the mattress. My head hit the side of one of the posts.

"Ange," I moaned, rubbing my head vigorously. I swear, whoever thinks that boys play rougher than we do has very clearly not met Angelina, Alicia, or me.

"Sorry, Kates," she apologized very insincerely. "But it had to be done. Now who are we rooting for? Gred or Forge? Or d'you even know?"

"I don't feel like talking about this right now," I said, crossing my arms. I was not a fan of how this conversation was turning out and at the moment, all I wanted to do was go to bed.

"You bullied us into talking about our boy problems," Alicia pointed out.

"Lee is not a boy problem!" shrieked Ange, looking daggers at the pair of us.

I was annoyed. I stood on my bed, glared down at the pair of them who were gawking at me, and yelled, "Yes, alright!? Yes, I like Fred. Yes, I like George. No, I haven't snogged either of them, and no, I don't know which one I like more. I've liked them both since the summer, and no, I don't know if they know that they both like me. _I_ don't even know if they both like me. No one's said anything. So as much as I know you'd like to, you can't go around calling me a strumpet or a slut or anything close to a tart!"

I fumed and they both stared at me.

"What?" I asked, a little meekly.

"Nothing," Alicia said, shaking her head. "Wow."

"Wow," Ange echoed.

"Don't look at me like that!" I growled. "It's not like I _chose_ to end up like this."

"When did this happen?" Alicia asked. "I know you said the summer, but…_when_?"

I sighed and shrugged, falling backward on my bed. "I don't know," I said. "You remember when we were all over at the Burrow for a couple of weeks?"

"Yes," they chorused.

"And the first or second night we were there Alicia made us play with that Ouija board?"

Ange and I both glared at her. Alicia shrank in the corner. Alicia has this bizarre obsession with sadistic things. It's a good thing she's the biggest cream-puff in the world, or else I'm sure she'd go to the dark side. But nevertheless, she has this huge grotesque collection of Ouija boards, hands of glory, and other sketchy things. It's creepy.

"Sorry," Alicia squeaked.

"Anyway, and we made contact with that horrifying ghoul thing that said he wanted to rip our guts out and string them up in the trees in the cemetery?"

They both shuddered. I nodded.

"Well I was freaked out! Understandably so, I might add...and I slept across from the twins' room and George was in the bathroom most of the night because his mum's potato pie gave him the trots."

"Ew," Angelina said. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Anyway, I sneaked over into their room and told Fred I was scared, and he let me hide under his blankets with him…and he smelled _good_…and anyway, I was cuddling up next to him—for protection, you know? And he tells me that he moved the Ouija board thing on purpose—"

"Hold on!" Angelina cried. "_Fred_ did that?!"

"I burned my Ouija board after that!" Alicia shouted. "It scared the hell out of me, and now it turns out that _Fred_ scared us half to death?! On purpose?!"

"Yeah," I said, dismissing it. It was old news for me.

"I'm gonna kill him," Ange said angrily.

"I'm telling a story!" I shouted, commanding attention back to me.

"Oh, right," Alicia said absent-mindedly.

"_So_, we stayed up talking and laughing, and I sort of…well, still pretended to be scared anyway, because he's a good cuddle…I mean, wow. Who would have thought, right?'

Ange snorted. I winced. I forgot she used to like him.

"Well, anyway, around 3 in the morning, George came back in, and we couldn't really explain ourselves, so Fred shoved me underneath his blankets and was all 'Hey George, how are your bowels?' and George swore at him and went to bed. But he sleeps on the bottom bunk so I couldn't really _leave_, so I sort of…you know…"

"You spent the night with him?!" Alicia shouted.

"_That's_ why guys didn't show up to breakfast until like eleven," Ange scowled. "And you were all bed-headed and grinning."

I shrugged. "Well….yeah…."

"Well, so what about George?" Alicia demanded. "Why him, too?"

I sighed. "Because," I said. "The next week after that when we were playing quidditch, remember how George accidentally hit me over the head with his bludger's bat?"

"Oh yeah," Ange said, looking back. "That was funny."

I scowled at her. "Was not," I said. "Well, we went in the house and I laid down for a while because I had a concussion. Well, that's what George said anyway."

"Yeah," Alicia said. "I remember that."

"Well, I didn't."

"Huh?"

"George just said that and when we got in the house he told me he hit me on purpose so we could have an excuse to go do something by ourselves."

"Wow," Ange scoffed. "George is quite the romantic isn't he?"

I laughed in spite of myself. "I think he's funny…"

"So what did you do?" Alicia asked.

"We went out," I said, shrugging. "We went out and we went swimming. It was fun."

"George does look good without his shirt off," Alicia conceded. Angelina and I stared at her. "What?" she said. "I just think he does…"

I shrugged. "Whatever. Anyway, we went swimming and he told me he liked me for a long time. Well, in his own way…he threw a dung bomb at me."

"Ah," Ange said. "Adorable."

I rolled my eyes at her.

"That's why you guys smelled," Alicia said.

"That, or George had the trots again," Angelina reminded her.

I could sense the sentiment changing. "I'm going to bed," I said. "That's all I want to say."

"_Hey_," Angelina said testily, grabbing on to my pajamas. "What are you going to do now?"

"Cry," I answered, pulling my bed curtains closed around me. I was beginning to regret sharing. Ange and Al just thought it was funny. This was my _life_ being ruined here.

I could hear them milling around outside my bed for a while and whispering together, and then heard them crawl into bed themselves. As I curled up in my covers and faced the wall, I knew that Alicia was curling up in her bed thinking about Oliver, and wondering if she had a shot with him. I knew Angelina was curling up in her bed hoping Lee wasn't too mad at her, and plotting ways to make sure everyone knew she didn't care about him. Or thought that, anyway. And I was thinking about the twins, and wondering where in the hell my life was going to go. And I couldn't help but notice, as I curled up further, that mine was the only situation here where it wasn't possible for _everyone_ concerned to end up happy.


	10. Aborted Apology

I got up early the next morning for a fly before breakfast

I got up early Monday morning for a fly before breakfast. Sunday was pretty dull…I played quidditch with Katie for most of the day. Alicia joined us after she spent her daily three hours in the library. We saw nothing of the lads. Fred and George were working on their top secret joke shop products, which absolutely no one is privy to (I walked in on them once in an empty classroom and Fred shrieked at me that I was ruining his future. I swear, I thought he was going to have a heart attack), and Lee went to go see his grandma in Gloucester. She's leaving him a bunch of money in her will, so he goes and "checks up on his investment" occasionally. See? The boy is horrid.

My friends rarely come with me before school to go fly. They like to have lie-ins. I think differently. There's no sense in falling out of shape just because we don't get to play this year. Besides, I stole the key to the locker room from off of Filch's key ring at the beginning of the school year. George says I'm obsessed. I say I'm passionate.

Alicia and Katie were still sleeping when I left. It figured. Katie won't be up until the very last second before breakfast and Alicia, fulfilling some little theory she has about her being the balance between me and Katie, is probably going to get up around seven to get some homework done before breakfast. She's psychotic. But I figure it's just another way for her to block thoughts of men from her mind. She fills it up with school work. Maybe I should give that a try.

I tried not to think about Lee as I got out my broomstick from the shed. I tried not to think about him as I walked down to the pitch, and I tried not to think about him as I flew past the commentator's box. But I couldn't help it. I have a tendency of letting whatever comes in my head come out my mouth, and my temper can run away with me. I told Lee Jordan our friendship was an embarrassment. Normally, Lee lets my rebuffs roll off of him and he keeps pestering me, but Saturday he actually _looked_ upset. I would have to make it up to him. But, in a way where he was clear that we would never be anything more than friends and in a way that Katie and Alicia and the twins wouldn't be obnoxious about it, and I say I love him and blah blah blah. Because I don't.

I flew for about another hour until I was winded, and then touched down on the pitch. I let myself into the locker room and peeled off my sweaty clothes, stepping into the shower. I missed this. I watched the water form little rivulets and roll off of my body. It was just something Lee could never understand. How could I date someone who didn't understand my passion? It was impossible. Then I caught myself. _Oh gross, I'm thinking about Lee in the shower._

I quickly toweled off and got changed into my school uniform. I hate skirts. I don't know a single quidditch player that likes them. Alicia, Katie, and I complain about them constantly. When I get appointed captain next year, I'm petitioning McGonagall for a redress of grievances and get her to allow us to wear our quidditch robes on game days and our quidditch t-shirts on off days. It's a good plan. I'm brilliant.

I braced myself to bite the bullet and apologize to Lee when I walked into the Great Hall for breakfast. I found my mates at the Gryffindor table exactly as I suspected them to be. Alicia was sitting across from Lee (who, I tried not to notice, was looking rather forlornly into his cornflakes) and had her books piled up next to her. The twins were a few spots over, heads bent together. I could see sparks flying up from between them, and George's eyebrows looked rather singed. Katie burst through the side door a second later, looking completely winded. Her tie was undone and her bookbag was slung over her shoulder haphazardly. _Yes, Ange, you are a genius_.

I sat down next to Lee. Time to be direct.

"Hey, Lee," I said. He turned away.

"What?" I asked, affronted. "You're _ignoring_ me now?"

"Look, Alicia," Lee said pointedly. "If I didn't know any better, I would think Ange is purposely trying to embarrass herself by associating with me."

Alicia raised her eyebrows. "Don't drag me into this," she said. "Fred, pass me a muffin!"

Fred tossed a muffin across the table as he and George scooted closer to the group, and Katie sat down across from them.

"Whoa, Kates," George said, ogling Katie, whose shirt was unbuttoned slightly. "Wanna show a little more? You're really getting better at this school girl look."

"Huh?" Katie asked, looking down. Then she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "George, don't perv on me when you don't have any eyebrows." She buttoned up the shirt, and continued to tie her tie.

"Can I?" Fred asked. "I have eyebrows."

"And I have something to say," I announced firmly. Everyone looked at me but Lee. I really command a crowd.

"I want to make up with Lee and he won't let me," I stated simply, throwing him a look.

"What's that?" George said obnoxiously. "You want to make out with Lee?"

"Oooh!" Fred crowed, and the two batted their eyelashes at the both of us. I threw an orange which hit Fred in the stomach. He doubled over and George leaned over to help him. They shut up.

"Lee Jee, why aren't you making up with Ange?" Katie asked, ignoring Fred who was making gagging noises and reaching for her glass of orange juice.

"I wouldn't want our friendship to embarrass her," Lee replied, carefully avoiding eye contact with me.

I rolled my eyes.

"Dammit, Lee," I said, "I wasn't serious."

"Ange does say lots of things she doesn't mean," Katie put in.

"Yeah, like the time she called me a no-fun-know-it-all," Alicia put in forlornly.

"That was in the first year!" I protested.

"Or the time she called me an obnoxious, tiresome twin," Fred recalled, having recovered from the fruit attack.

"No, she called _me_ the obnoxious, tiresome twin," George said.

"I did _not_," I groaned, knowing full well I did.

"Or the time she called me a shameless tart," Katie added. "Wow, Ange, you really are mean."

I exploded. "Do we _have_ to bring up every single little thing I do wrong? The point is, I didn't mean _any_ of it, and I didn't mean what I said to Lee!"

"Yeah," George said. "That's what we meant. We were helping you."

"Well you're doing a bloody bad job of it," I snarled.

"Look," Lee said, sounding tired. "None of it matters, because she didn't tell any of you that you were an _embarrassment_. That's quite a bit different. Plus you all play quidditch, so she can be seen with you despite your annoyance levels. I can't be."

"Lee, that's not what I _meant_," I groaned, frustrated. "And you know it."

He shrugged.

"Don't make me beg, Jordan," I warned.

"Well what if I want you to?" he snapped, finally looking at me. "Why can't I see Angelina Johnson ask for my forgiveness? Is it too beneath her?"

"It is!" I yelled back, grabbing my bookbag. "I can't _believe_ I just tried to make up with you!"

I was about to storm off when I had the idea of tossing Katie's orange juice all over Lee. The liquid dripped from the tips of his dreadlocks.

XXX

Things were awkward when I walked into potions later that morning. My friends all stared at me to see what I would do. I realized I was straining the friendship circle, but I didn't care. Lee Jordan would not make me grovel at his feet. He was trying to bait me, and I wouldn't let him. Wanker. I sat down next to Alicia, who's my cauldron partner without saying anything to anyone.

"Actually Ange, I'm working with Katie today," Alicia said tentatively. I could tell she was afraid I was going to blow up on her.

"But Katie works with Lee," I said confused, looking between them.

"Lee said he had a new cauldron partner," Katie said, shrugging.

"Well who am I supposed to work with?" I said, annoyed.

"You can be with us!" Fred and George chorused.

"Ugh," I said. "I'd rather give myself a lobotomy." They shrugged.

I was frustrated. Stupid move by sensitive Lee, and my potion grade for the day is ruined. I'm going to have to be with that Slytherin girl that sits at the back and doesn't have any friends. So much for my potions grade for the day. I specifically snagged Alicia at the beginning of the year so that I could have a chance for a decent grade. I'm not so great with potions. Fred and George have some sort of deft brilliance for the subject, but they're always each other's partners, so that was out. Alicia was a good bet because she studies extremely hard for everything, and is pretty good herself. Katie and I are at about the same level of competence, which is an "I can pass, but I don't really care about this subject." Lee's totally daft. Katie ended up with him because she drew the short straw because I cheated so I could have Alicia. I should feel bad, but I don't.

"Why can't Katie work with the twins and I can still have you?" I whined.

Alicia looked at me like I was stupid. "You want the three of them together around a cauldron?" she asked. "Someone's bound to make love potion, and who knows what could happen then."

"Shh!" Katie hissed, glancing over at Fred and George. "Someone might hear you."

"Oh, like there's someone out there that doesn't realize you're an insufferable tart," I snapped. She glared at me.

"No wonder Lee's mad at you," she said, defiantly placing her potions ingredients in my place and butting me out. Alicia shrugged at me.

Annoyed, I strode to the back of the room and threw my bag down by the Slytherin girl.

"Anybody working with you?" I asked gruffly. The girl's head snapped up like she was surprised she was being addressed by another human.

"N-no," she stammered. "I'm Gertrude."

"Angelina," I said, refusing to make eye contact with her. She could have been Snape's relative: dark hair, dark eyes, swimming in grease, bad acne. I was a snob, I didn't care who knew it. I was stuck working with slime ball back here because Lee had to go grow feelings. _Where was he anyway? What poor sap did he get to agree to be his cauldron partner?_

And then I saw him. Coming through the door with some blonde girl from Beauxbatons. I didn't mind having to share our school with other schools, mainly because it gave our professors other people to divert their attention to, but all of a sudden I _hated_ it. I recognized the girl instantly; her name was Danielle and she was the cousin of that half veela princess Fleur Delacour.

"Disgusting," I spat out incredulously.

"What's disgusting?" asked my new partner Gertrude.

"Uh…Snape," I said, looking away from Lee and his new "partner."

"Snape's not disgusting!" Gertrude said, looking highly scandalized. "I'm…" she looked around to make sure no one was watching her. "In _love_ with him."

I stared at her.

"We'll have an affair someday," she said matter-of-factly. "It's _so _romantic."

Great. I was stuck in potions with a seriously disturbed wingnut while Lee was off being a wanker and won't forgive me, and flirting with some blonde tart from Beauxbatons.

I kept glancing at her all through Potions. She had clearly found out Lee was a moron when it came to the subject, but it didn't deter her from flirting with him. Probably all attracted to the British accent because she's _French_ and _foreign_. Whatever. I could so beat her ass at quidditch. And it's not like I care anyway, right? Screw Lee.


	11. Little Black Knickers & Exciting Alicia

"Just do it," Katie hissed, shoving a piece of parchment at me

"Just do it," Katie hissed, shoving a piece of parchment at me. "Just _write_ to him."

"_No_," I whispered back. "I have no reason to. And besides, what would I _say_?"

We were sitting in the back of the library, next to the big gothic windows. We always go here to study, but when it's Ange, Katie, and I, we don't really get a whole lot done. It's mostly talking. Right now, Katie was trying to force me into owling Wood. Angelina was standing on a ladder, peeking through rows of books, and trying to spy on Lee and his new cauldron partner, Danielle. She didn't understand why we didn't care about it as much as she did. When I reminded her that neither of us was in love with him, she huffed and went to spy on her own.

"Say you want to shag him and bear his children," Katie grinned.

"Ladies!" Madam Pince swooped down on us and hit Katie in the back of the head with a book.

"Ow," Katie said, annoyed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Be silent or I shall remove you from the library!" Madam Pince said, looking scandalized.

"Miserable old hag," said Katie, as she floated away.

I nodded. "I still fervently believe she and Filch are shagging in here, and that's why she keeps trying to throw us out."

"No, Filch is doing his cat. It's _so _obvious."

"Now she's tossing her _head_ in front of him," Angelina interjected, disgusted. "Since when does Lee care about potions enough to go the library to study for it??"

I opened my mouth to answer, but she answered herself.

"He _doesn't_. He's going because of her! The sell out!"

Katie and I looked at her for a second, and then looked away. Katie shook her head.

"Come on, Al, just do it. It's easy."

"Maybe for you," I argued. "I don't have the slightest idea how to attract a bloke."

"You got Roger Davies for a bit," she pointed out.

"Yeah, before he fell for Ange," I said, rolling my eyes.

"If it's any consolation, he left me for Padma Patil," Angelina said, distracted, from her perch on the ladder.

"Oliver clearly likes you," Katie interrupted. "Now what would be the harm in just writing him and asking him to meet you up for lunch next week?"

"He might say _no,_" I pointed out.

"Or he might say yes."

"He won't though. Not if I write it."

"What if I wrote it for you?" she suggested. "You know…and then you could just sign your name or something?"

"I dunno…" I said skeptically.

"Come on, I'll make it sound like you. 'Dear Oliver, I'm living in the library, but I could take a couple hours off this weekend without hurting the 112 percent I have in charms class to go have lunch with you…'"

"Ha ha," I said sarcastically. "No, if Oliver wants to see me, Oliver's just going to have to pluck up the courage and ask me himself."

"Not when he thinks his mates all want you!"

"His mates all don't! I'm boring…"

"Alicia, you've got to stop this…"

"Well, it's true."

"It is not! You have little black knickers, you're exciting!"

A boy sitting at the table across from us looked up and winked at me. I could feel myself coloring.

"Katie, shut up," I hissed. "I'm not doing it."

"Oi!" Katie shouted. "Angelina!"

Angelina nearly fell off the ladder. "What??" she asked annoyed.

"Shouldn't Allie write to Ollie? Their names even sound cute together. It's destiny."

"Yeah, sure," she said. "Whatever. WHAT?? Why is Lee touching her hair like that?!"

I sighed. "Forget it. I'm going downstairs for lunch. I'll see you there?"

"Yeah, sure," she replied. "Just gotta finish this transfig essay. I still have two more inches."

I gathered my things and dropped them in my bookbag, and headed for the exit. My mind was swimming. I was ready to admit that I might fancy Oliver a bit. I didn't really want to show up to Hogsmeade every weekend wandering the village and hoping that I'd run into him again. It was pathetic. Maybe I should write to him…but no. My letter would come in a heap with the rest of his fan mail. I'm sure he's gotten some. He's gorgeous, and I know some girls that go to practices to see the reserve team. Anyway, even if he _did_ get it, who's to say he'd actually read it? He ditched me in a bar last time he was here, and I don't care what Katie says, it's not because his mates fancied me and he was jealous. Even if his mates did fancy me, he clearly herded them all out to prevent them from getting involved with a loser like Alicia Spinnet. And yet, there was always that chance…

It turned out I didn't have to think about writing to him long because at that moment, a Gryffindor 2nd year whose name was (I think) Bianca approached me with a letter in her hand.

"You're Alicia Spinnet, right?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "Bianca? I've seen you at quidditch."

She nodded enthusiastically. "You're really good."

"Er—thanks," I said. I wasn't used to people I didn't know telling me things like that. Ange gets it all the time. I think she has a little cult following.

"You got a letter," she said, thrusting it at me. She waved and then dashed off.

I stared at the envelope curiously. I didn't recognize the handwriting. I found a chair in the corner of the library and broke the seal. My eyes widened as I glanced at the name at the bottom of the page: _Oliver_.

Squealing, I eagerly read its contents.

_Alicia,_

_Hey, how are you? I hope you don't think this is too weird, but I've been thinking about you since Saturday, and some of my mates convinced me to write you and ask you out for next weekend. What do you say? Want to meet up at Hogsmeade?_

_Oliver_

I let out a little peep and dashed back up the stairs to find Katie and Angelina. I literally ran into them both as I turned a corner.

"Guys!" I exclaimed.

"Geez, Al, you really do have a bad habit of running into people," Ange complained, rubbing her skull.

"Sorry," I said insincerely. "It's just…look what I got!"

I shoved the letter in their faces and did a little dance.

"Ladies!" Madam Pince descended again. "This time I'm going to _have_ to ask you to leave."

"Oh, so you can shag Mr. Filch?" I asked brightly. Her jaw dropped, and I don't think she thought she heard me correctly, but it didn't matter, because Katie grabbed my arm and led me down the stairs as Angelina snapped that we were leaving anyway.

I didn't care if I got detention. I hadn't had detention since last year when we took our O.W.L.s and Flitwick gave it to me for harassing him about extra study sheets. I was happy. Something had lifted, and I had no reservations whatsoever about telling the world what I thought. Oliver Wood had asked me out on a date. I wasn't just Alicia Anne Spinnet anymore. I was…_exciting._ Maybe I'd even wear my little black knickers.

"Al, is that from Ollie?!" Katie asked excitedly as we were almost out the door.

"It is!" Ange cried, seeming to forget all about Lee and his new blonde friend. "He's asking you out!"

"I know!" I cried. "Isn't it great?!"

"Yes!"

We all had our heads bent over the letter as we exited the library on the way to lunch, until suddenly Katie stopped short.

"Kates, what is it?" Ange asked.

Katie looked shocked and upset. Two Ravenclaws had just passed uttering something that sounded suspiciously like "Hogwarts whore."


	12. GryffinWhore

"I heard she slept with both of them, and they don't even know it yet

"I heard she slept with _both_ of them, and they don't even know it yet."

"And did you see her at breakfast? She was practically falling out of her top…"

"Definitely the new Hogwarts Whore."

"Probably why she joined quidditch. To see blokes in the locker room."

"Parvati must be ashamed she's in Gryffindor…"

I stopped abruptly, turning to stare at the two Ravenclaws who had just passed us. _Were they talking about _me_? _They looked at me, exchanged glances, and then looked away quickly. I was shocked.

"Kates, what's the matter?" asked Angelina, dropping Alicia's letter from Oliver to her side.

"Did I just hear that right?" Alicia frowned. The happy bubble that was inside of her a few seconds ago seemed to be deflating.

"Yeah," I said. "I think you did."

"What just happened?" Angelina asked, confused.

I folded my arms tightly across my chest. "I just got called the Hogwarts Whore," I said, with a fake smile on my face.

"_What_?"

"Yeah," I said, still smiling sweetly.

"Hey!" Ange shouted. "Hey, you two!"

The two Ravenclaws turned around, pretending to be surprised.

"Hey, if you've got something to say to my friend here, why don't you come say it to her face?" Ange said, stepping forward and looking rather intimidating. The smug looks on the girls' faces disappeared as Ange got closer, and they stepped decidedly closer together as she towered over the pair of them.

They looked slightly frightened. "We didn't say anything," one said, turning to her friend. "We don't even know you."

"Like hell you don't!" Ange shouted back, striding toward them. Their eyes got as big as saucers. Alicia was just standing there, so it was up to me to grab her and pull her back.

"Come on," I said. "No big deal."

"No big deal?" Ange asked. "Katie, since when do you not stand up for yourself?"

"If these _girls_ say they don't know me, they don't," I said, glowering at the pair of them. "They must have found out that I play quidditch and that I had problems with my clothes at breakfast this morning from someone else."

They looked extremely uncomfortable. One stepped forward.

"Well I know it's none of _our_ business," she said pointedly, "But shagging _both_ of the Weasley twins seems a little unnecessary."

"You know what's unnecessary?" Ange said menacingly, "Idiots like you who don't have lives of their own so they have to talk about other people! And for your information, Katie hasn't shagged anyone in this castle, unlike you two who are probably begging for it from anyone that will take you!"

They both glanced at each other and then at us. "Whatever," they said, and disappeared around the corner, though looking slightly shaken.

"Ange…" I said, warningly.

"What?!" she exploded. "You expect me just to stand here while they slander my best friend??"

"It's not important," I said, annoyed. "People are going to start to talk anyway. It was bound to happen. Fred and George…well, everyone knows them. It's not like it's going to go away. Besides, I don't see anyone else leading on more than one bloke at the same time."

"Jessica Finch-Fletchley is," Alicia pointed out.

I roll my eyes. "I don't _care_ about Jessica Finch-Fletchley. And of course she is…If my little brother was turned to stone in his second year, I'd exploit the story, too, and use it to get blokes."

Alicia grinned, and Ange smirked.

"Life would be easier without the male sex," Angelina stated.

"Agreed," I said, whole-heartedly.

Alicia was silent.

"Alicia!" Angelina shouted.

"Sorry," she mutters. "It's just…I sort of like men…"

"Or _one_ man," I teased, putting the accusation about shagging the twins in the back of my mind.

Alicia blushed.

XxX

Lunch was uneventful. George had managed to grow his eyebrow back, which was relieving, but at the same time not so much. I had rather hoped it would be a permanent development, which would make it easier to choose Fred. Not that I'm shallow, or anything…

Ange and Lee still weren't speaking. In fact, Lee spent most of his time down at the table brought in for Beuxbatons students, which Ange kept glaring at darkly. Alicia was showing the twins her letter, and while she did so, Fred slipped his hand underneath the table and placed it on my thigh. I tried to stop myself from grinning.

XxX

We had Divination after lunch. All of us had kept the class, though none of us needed it for our career goals. In fact, as I was training to go into magi-journalism, nothing seemed to be further form what I needed. Ange wanted to play quidditch, Alicia was planning on going into Wizard-Muggle relations, Lee into professional quidditch commentating, and the twins wanted nothing more than to own and run their own joke shop. But we kept Divination for the simple fact that it entertained us, especially on Mondays.

During Monday's class hour, Trelawney had us get out our crystal orbs and "gaze into the beyond" to divine our circumstances for the upcoming week. It was delightful. The lads sat at one table, and Ange, Alicia, and I sat at another and we would have competitions to see which group could come up with the most outrageous and pathetic predictions. For example, last week on Tuesday, I was supposed to have gotten run over by a herd of stampeding Hippogriffs while on my way to collect my winnings earned from my success as MVP of the Witch's Quidditch League of Britain and Ireland. It didn't happen, but I still got full points.

This week, however, I didn't feel much like sitting in the cold drafty tower and punching out bogus predictions. I still had the Ravenclaws' words echoing from the back of my mind. I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much. I had heard people talk about my reputation before; why should it annoy me now? Was it because I actually cared for Fred and George? The other blokes I date are spur of the moment attractions, fleeting, and they come and go like Ange's ability to be kind. Anyway I guess I was kind of moody because it came as a complete shock when George lobbed a wadded up piece of parchment at me, which bounced off my forehead.

Surprised, I looked up.

"What's the matter, Katie-did?" He asked, grinning. Fred was beaming at me next to him from the table over.

I yawned. "Nothing," I answered.

Alicia poked me. "Liar," she hissed. I glared at her.

"Some little Ravenclaws called her the Hogwarts Whore," Ange blurted. Typical. I scowled at her.

"Well, now that's a shame," George said, shaking his head.

"Yes," Fred agreed. "Such a pity that after all these years, they can't come up with a better term. Hogwarts Whore…so unoriginal."

"Indeed," said George. "Why not try Gryffindor Whore? The rhyme is much more agreeable…"

"Or even just Gryffin-Whore," Fred pointed out.

I laughed, in spite of myself.

"Come sit by us, Katie-Kate," Fred said. "We'll cheer you up."

"And I think Lee-Lee is sitting is sitting with Danielle From Hell today, anyway," George put in.

"Do you two ever call anyone by their actual name?" Ange asked, suddenly livid again at the thought of Lee with Danielle. She spoke to the twins, but her eyes were roving the classroom, probably making sure Lee and Danielle weren't sharing a pouf.

"NOPE!" They both yelled at the same time.

"Pass the tarot cards and your astrological aura, Angie-Pangie," Fred grinned.

But Angelina didn't hear. She was too busy grinding up her quill with her teeth, while pretending not to gape at Lee. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, Kaaaatie-Pie!" George yelled, demanding that my attention be turned back to him. A grin spread across my face.

"Yes, twins?" I asked. I'm such a tease.

"Oh, delicious Katie-Pie—"

"Come plot with us ways to die—"

"Come spend some time with your two best friends—"

"And discover how you'll meet your vicious end—"

"Perhaps you'll fall into a deep black hole—"

"Or eat one of our sweets and turn into a mole—"

"Perhaps you'll be drug behind a carriage for a mile—"

"Or get swallowed up by a crocodile—"

"Any way you slice it, it will be quite fun—"

"Because after all, when it's said and done—"

"You'll be cheery, and just a touch cheesy—"

"'_CAUSE WE'RE EVERYONE'S FAVORITE WEASLEYS!"_

A few people clapped. Angelina rolled her eyes, and Alicia just shook her head. I couldn't help but laugh—and smack both of them upside the head as I plopped myself down on a pouf and moved conveniently between them. A couple girls scoffed, but I ignored it.

A few seconds later, Trelawney wandered in, looking lost as usual. Seriously, does she not think we have her act figured out by now? She's been entering the same mystic way for years now, and not once has she managed to make an accurate prediction. Not that I've seen, anyway. I'd rather hoped her prediction about Jessica Finch-Fletchley dying were true, but it wasn't. Oh well. Can't have everything in life.

The twins were on their best behavior to cheer me up and to outdo one another. When Trelawney approached Fred, telling that his aura was pulsing, and begging him to make a prediction, Fred rolled his eyes in the back of his head, wagged his tongue and collapsed on the floor. George soon followed suit, and the two started rolling around on the ground shouting that Draco Malfoy ate his own bogies. Trelawney explained that since they were identical twins, they had the same brain waves, and were probably experiencing the same other-worldly phenomena. Ange, Alicia, and I had to stifle our laughter. Lee didn't bother; he burst out laughing and got detention. Angelina grinned at this, but the smile soon disappeared from her face as he looked quite pleased that Danielle was attempting to comfort him.

The twins got off the floor, identical grins spread across their faces.

"How was that for cheering up, Kates?" George asked.

"Lovely," I said. "Just lovely."

XxX

Lee caught up to me after Divination, and pulled me aside.

"What?" I asked, watching the girls and Fred and George disappear around a corner.

"Katie, I know what happened before lunch today," he said, looking serious.

I shrugged. "Everyone knows by now," I said. "It's no big deal."

"It _is_, though," he pressed. "And you know it is."

I frowned. "Lee…" I began, but he cut me off.

"Look, don't say anything to me. If you tell me anything, I'll feel obligated to tell Fred and George. Right now, I'm just going to go on pretending like nothing's happening. But Katie…"

"I know," I said, nodding and sighing. "I've got to make up my mind."

"And do it soon? Before it gets worse? I don't want anyone hurt more than they have to be. And I definitely don't want to hear any more trash talk about you, Kates. I almost punched Warrington today."

"_Warrington's_ talking about me too, now?" I asked incredulously. I sighed.

Lee gave me a hug. "Buck up, Bell," he smiled. "Things could be worse. Fred and George could both hate your guts."

"Ange doesn't hate you…wait…does that mean this things with Danielle is a ploy, or…?"

He shook his head. "No," he said. "I'm giving up on Angelina. I don't care if she meant what she said. A bloke can only take so much, you know? I don't want that kind of relationship. I'm trying to look at other options. I've been so blinded by trying to get Ange that I didn't realize the grass may really BE greener…"

I frowned. "Come on, Lee, you're in love with her. And you have been since the age of eleven. She'll come 'round."

He shrugged. "Maybe. But for now I'm just tired of waiting for her."

I gave him a sad half-smile, and took his arm as we both walked to our next class.

XxX


End file.
